The Feeling's Mutual!
by Mizuyah
Summary: ONE SHOT. Dunga despises Mariam and Mariam, likewise, but when push comes to shove and bad get's to worse, he'll have to put aside their differences to save her. Mariam[x]Dunga


**Disclaimer: **LingXiaoyu does not dub the show formally know as Bakuten Shoot Beyblade as her own. All rights reserved to TV Tokyo, Takao Aoki (if he did series 2) and what not. All in all, I own zilch. Just the fic.****

**"The Feeling's Mutual!"**

"Take that back!"

"Why should I?" Mariam snapped. "It's a well known fact that big apes like you haven't actually grown any brain cells yet."

"Oh, you think you're so damn smart,"

"I don't _think_ Dunga…I know," Mariam stated matter-of-factly. 

"It's just like a girl to say something like that," The brawny blond countered. "And you call me egotistical. Maybe you should take a look in the mirror sometime."

"And maybe you should take some of that advice, Dunga" Mariam retaliated. "Trust me! It would do wonders for your appearance."

"WHAT!"

Joseph sighed, as the quarrel progressed. There was nothing new nowadays, only the constant disputes between Mariam and Dunga, which had become so frequent that they were just as boring.

Everyday, it would be the same thing. Dunga would do something. Mariam would say something about it and then the arguments began. Before, it hadn't been so bad. Both normally had their limits, and sometimes it would be as interesting enough to bet who would win a round. But now, they were pushing their luck. 

They had been told by Ozuma that there was a likelihood of a storm outbreak today at some point and so were told to stay in, but even Ozuma himself had disappeared. He guessed it was to get away from the argumentative pair, which left the youngest Saint Shield unaided and unequipped to deal up with the racket – as if they'd listen to him anyway.

So here he was, sitting up on the stockades, leant against the wall, listening to them brawl. He wished they would stop and think to themselves about what it was doing to them as a team.

"Are you calling _me_ a weakling?" Dunga retorted.

"If the bandanna fits."

"That's it!" Dunga hurriedly flipped his beyblade and launcher out of his pocket and readied himself. "Let's go! Right now!"

"Big words, coming from such a looser," Mariam said, following in pursuit.

"I'll show you who's the looser!" 

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Let it rippppp!" They screamed in unison as both blades were launched onto the ground, rapidly clashing and crashing against each other, neither willing to back down.

"Is that the best you got, hotshot?" 

"I'm just getting warmed up!"

"Well, warm up to this…SHARKRASH ATTACKKKKKK!!!"

"VORTEX APE!!"

Both blades set about for attack, proceeding closer to each other in the heat of fury, when all of a sudden and quick flash in the form of another blade intercepted their battle and sent both Sharkrash and Vortex Ape flying back to their owners.

Both competitors stared at the remaining blade, as it flung towards the entrance of the warehouse and into the outstretched arm of their captain.

"Ozuma?"

"Why'd you do that for?"

The leader stepped forward and proceeded towards the duo.

"Because there's no need for you to continue a pointless battle," He replied. "You two need to learn to put aside your differences outside of the dish."

"Well, she started it,"

"Yeah, right!"

"It's not my fault she can't hack it!"

"_I_ can't hack it?"

"You said it!"

Ozuma rolled his eyes and looked towards Joseph who'd positioned himself up in the stockades as usual. They shook their heads in dismay.

"Well, at least I wasn't the one who got my blade trashed by those snooty Part Hunters!"

Mariam gasped.

"That's enough, Dunga!" Ozuma warned.

"No! She needs to know her place and that's as the most trivial member of this team!"

Mariam slapped Dunga instantly, sending the tall Saint Shield flying onto the floor in realisation of her own strength. A brief moment of fury was soon replaced with absolute shock at the recognition of what she'd just done and thinking of no way out, she high-tailed it for the exit.

"Sis'! Wait!" Joseph, having seen it all also, now jumped down from his high perch and attempted to chase her, but when he reached the outside, she was gone.

~*~

Dunga clasped the side of his face as he sat up from his current position, both in deep thought and in shock.

"She's gone!" Joseph called from the exit. "And I dunno what way she went"

Ozuma grunted.

"Now look what's happened," He rebuked, mainly at Dunga.

"It's not my fault she can't take it,"

"I don't know what's going on between you two," Ozuma snapped. "But you just went too far today. You know very well that Mariam's just as significant a member to this team as everybody else and you knew she was still sore from loosing that battle to the part hunters."

Dunga turned his gaze elsewhere and scowled.

A clash of thunder soon bought Ozuma to realisation. _The storm._

"Listen, Joseph, we'll have to go and look for her, so let's go!" Ozuma stated hurriedly, making for his cloak.

Joseph nodded, following his captain in pursuit and then towards the exit, but not before saying:

"Ya know what, Dunga? Sometimes, I wish you were a little more considerate."

The burly Saint Shield snarled at the final comment and he huffed indignantly as he seated himself in a cross-legged position and rested his head on his hand. They were obvious siding with her. It just didn't add up. Maybe it was because she was a girl. They _had_ to go easy on her. But Dunga didn't care. _If you can't take the heat, then get out of the frying pan_. That was his motto. Mariam was so used to dishing the dirt that she couldn't take it anymore. _Well, tough luck!_ Sometimes, he wished she'd just shut up and leave him alone. She had something to say about everything and that's what often riled him up. In actual fact, she never left him be, not even in his thoughts and strangely enough, in his dreams. She was always there, somehow, laughing at him or making snide remarks. Why couldn't she be like those normal obedient girl?

_Because she's not normal_.

Maybe she's actually an alien or something. I wish.

_No, you don't_.

Yes, I do! She should know her place.

_But that's not the Mariam you've learnt to like._

Like her? I despise her. She so annoying and outspoken.

_And feisty and pretty_.

Pretty? Doesn't that categorise with _attractive_? No way would he ever think of considering her that. Gosh! Why wouldn't she leave him alone? Why was this all his fault? She was just a guilty as he was.

_Oh, so you're guilty now?_

No, I'm not! It's all her fault.

_You know you don't believe that_.

Yes I do. It's a known fact that girls are twice more argumentative than guys. They just get in your way and start making you feel all kinds of stuff you don't need to.

_But then, you'd know about those feelings, wouldn't you?_

Dunga cursed the second voice in his head in a blank retaliation. He'd been thinking like this for quite some time now. So he'd often row with Mariam to try and forget about it. It never worked.

_Are we reaching a breakthrough?_

Dunga rose to his feet angrily and found himself punching the nearest wall viciously. He knew what he had to do – and though he half resented it – he made for his cloak and flung it on, before stepping outside into the night, the sudden rain pouring frantically.

Let's get this over and done with.

~*~

Mariam traced her steps up what felt like a mountain, clasping an arm, which she had twsited earlier. It was now paining her considerably and her boots, which were sliding through the mud were making it all the more difficult to move.

She finally decided to lean up against the nearest wall, after what felt like eternity in this desert of molehills and rock. The fact that it was late and rather turbulent wasn't helping any either. Her soaking wet bangs were glued to her face as the raindrops increased violently. Her headband had been ripped off by what seemed like a very fierce wind and the rest of her hair hung heavily down her back and clung to her presently soaked garments.

As she proceeded onward, the collision of darkness meets downpour made it all the more harder for the wounded Saint Shield to see what lay ahead of her and she winced in pain as a sharp object came in contact with her cheek and sliced at her wet skin, causing a trace of blood to wither from the opening. She clasped her cut impetuously and glared at the twig that lay wedged within the wall of the mountain. Of all the rotten luck.

She pressed onwards, climbing up a slope of what appeared to be heading to nowhere, the distinct crashing of the sea, metres beneath her, as the lightening crashed above her. There was indeed no way out and she cursed the fact that she had been so foolish as to run off on a night like this. If only Dunga hadn't made her so mad. So angry to a point where she couldn't stand to see his face anymore. __

_Was that what he truly thought of her? Trivial? Insignificant?_

She couldn't understand why she even cared. After all, it was only Dunga. She'd tolerated that muscle-bound idiot for the majority of her life. So why couldn't she face him now?

Suddenly, a small trail of rocks coming from above, soon brought Mariam out of her thoughts and she stopped in an attempt to stare up through the barrage of raindrops as they screened her vision. A quick flash of lightening and rupture of thunder soon allowed the youth to see that a large bolder was swiftly making its way towards her from above. She shrieked on impulse as she darted sideways, tumbling out of harms way, as she rolled towards the cliff edge, but soon found that her actions had been inaccurate as she spun over the rim, managing to clasp onto the rock face with frost bitten fingers. 

Not even daring to scream, she stared down at the rocky waters that lay beneath her. Pain snaked through her left arm and she let go with it instantly, realising that her previous wound was still intact. Panic ensued as she scraped the rock-strewn surface with her boots in a futile attempt to get up, the long masses of hair fusing with gravity, yanking her downward even more. Another sharp pain soon followed, in the pit of her foot, as she'd realised she'd sprained it against the hard surface.

And then she gave in.

Her life briefly flashed passed her eyes. The old days. Joseph. Ozuma. Dunga. Their mission. Dunga. The BladeBreakers. Dunga. The World Championships. The rock face. Dunga. And knowing she couldn't hold on any longer, a long awaited tear cast down her cheek as she closed her eyes tight and let go.

Seconds later, her eyes flung open as a sturdy hand clasped upon hers and she felt her body being hoisted into the air. With her vision slightly blurred, she set her eyes on a large shaded figure as it attempted to lift her up. Normally, she would have argued, but not in this case.

Another flash of lightening soon illustrated the figures presence as she locked eyes with familiar green elements and golden brown skin. _But who was he?_ He looked so familiar and yet he was so far away.

She heard him say something as he brought her to her feet and began shaking her gently and then she remembered.

"Dunga?"

And with that she fell forward against a sturdy surface, her eyes closed shut as she willed nothingness to consume her.

~*~

Dunga stared down at the withered figure that lay pressed up against his chest, her navy hair covering her blemished features.

"Mariam!" He shook her again. "Mariam! You've gotta get up. No time for playing games. Mariam!"

No use. She was out cold and the storm was getting worse. There was no chance of them returning to the warehouse in one piece now. He'd have to find somewhere else.

With formidable ease, Dunga scooped Mariam's limp form into his arms, before he stalked off down the mountain slope as fast as he could, the storm willing onwards as if chasing him as he went. Light soon led him in the direction of a small cave, which was positioned not to far off from him and without a second thought, the burly Saint Shield made his way to the interior and skulked in. 

The cavern wasn't that big and not at all comfortable, but big enough to accommodate two strays for the night and that's all that Dunga cared about.

He rested Mariam's lifeless body against the smooth surface and pulled off his drenched cloak, flinging it to the side. He then kneeled next to his fallen teammate.

As he stared down at her, he couldn't help but feel pained somehow about seeing her like this. Normally, Mariam was composed with a bark far much worst then her bite, but now here she was, completely vulnerable, on the verge of death – he hoped not – and it pained him. It came as a slight shock to himself also, but it truly did pain him. A slight pang struck at his heart, as the guilt began to take over, and he hated himself for what he'd said to her. And even though he had never felt any kind of remorse for anything he'd ever done in his life, just staring at her made him think otherwise – made him feel that that this time, he had been in the wrong. And that was a definite first for him.

He touched her hand lightly and saw it stir from his touch. He gasped inwardly.

"M…Mariam? Are you…?"

She stirred slightly, her emerald hues flickering open somewhat. Reverting back to what he knew, he backed off a little. 

"Dunga?" She turned her head gradually and set her weak eyes on him, making the brawny youth even more confused within himself. He felt like he wanted…like he wanted to…comfort her, but their history was telling him otherwise.

He saw as she attempted to sit up, but instead wince in pain as her tired muscles contracted and the usually insensitive Saint Shield raced forward to hold his weaker companion in his arms. He didn't care that they had had their quarrels. He didn't care that it seemed wrong, because to him – and this confused him even more – it all seemed right.

"Dunga…" Mariam replied in a hoarse tone as she fell back into his strangely warming arms. "I'm…sorry."

"What'you talking about, Mariam?" 

"I'm…sorry for…everything," She replied, vaguely. "I'm sorry for…calling you names, and making fun of you…"

Dunga furrowed his eyebrows as he listened to her. Why was she apologising? This wasn't her fault. In fact, this wasn't even Mariam, or at least it was, but not the Mariam he knew. She was being different… benevolent even. And the strange thing was that as she lie there in his arm, through her ruffled curls and tarnished features, she'd never looked so…beautiful to him in all his life. He'd never really noticed how attractive she was, or maybe back then, he hadn't even cared. Or had he, but just not noticed he did. What was happening to him? He'd never felt like this in all his life.

"I'm sorry for it all…I just hope you can…forgive me," He gasped as her eyes fluttered close again and within seconds he could hear her breathing softly against him.

"You don't have to be sorry about anything, Mariam!" Dunga said, staring ahead of him at the rain outside. "This is all my fault. I'm the one that should be sorry."

~*~

When Mariam awoke in the morning, she found herself not in her semi-comfortable bed back at the warehouse, but wedged in between the arms of something even more comfortable then ever and she willed sleep to consume her again. That was until her eyes snapped open and revealed that the cosy exterior was none other then Dunga.

She gasped externally before wriggling free of her team adversary, screwing up her face in distaste as she stared at the peaceful version stretched out across the floor. _How dare he even think of touching her? After what he did yesterday, he deserved a foot in his mouth._

She stared around unfamiliar territory, wondering how she'd gotten to be in what looked like an old cavern. She then, made to get up, but grimaced significantly as a familiar pain snaked up her arm and she began to remember the accounts of what happened before. The rocks. The cliff. Hanging on for dear life. Letting go.

Dunga rescuing her.

_Obviously, he'd felt guilty about what he'd said to her._

The way he'd held her in his arms.

_She should have slapped him again._

The way he'd listened to her.

_She should have cussed him._

But she hadn't.

She'd lied there comfortably and casually and spilled her heart out to him. She'd done something she'd never felt remotely possible. She'd apologised for everything.

_Even when **he** should have been the one apologising._

Mariam debated with herself inwardly. Why was nothing making sense? Why couldn't she make up her mind? She prided herself on being bold and forthright, unlike a typical indecisive girl who couldn't make up her mind what dress to wear, let alone what strategy to use in battle.

Running a hand through her tangled hair, she turned towards the sleeping form stopping in progress, an unusual smile creeping across her face.

~*~

"Mariam!" Was the first thing the blond haired Saint Shield had said, as he woke with a start to reveal a bright day emitting from the large cave entrance. He stared around the exterior in search for his comrade, before a figure stepped in from the outside.

"So, are you just gonna lie there?"

Dunga sighed in relief as he stared at the familiar image of Mariam. Her hair pulled back in ones again, but with no headband and a much better composure. He smiled, before finally deciphering her comment as what he'd call rude and found he was on the edge of retaliation, before he saw her smile in return. She then pulled away from the entrance and Dunga shouted after her as he rose to his feet and grabbed his cloak before following the femme fatale.

A five minute walk ensured silence as the two Saint Shields made their way down the mountain slope and across to civilisation. Mariam finally broke it.

"So…why _did_ you come looking for me?" She sighed.

Dunga's normally golden features tinged a slight pink at that question, but luckily she never noticed.

"Err…"

"Well, why did you?" Mariam pressed. "Obviously, you felt guilty for what you said to me. So you _had_ to come along and play hero, just to boost that massive ego of yours."

"What!" Dunga stirred.

"Well, am I right or am I right?" Mariam voiced, as she noticed her team-mate's expression turn from its calm to its usual rage. 

"Hey! I only came looking for you because Ozuma and Joseph told me too,"

"And when since do you listen to them?"

Dunga growled in retaliation to the fact that he couldn't counter Mariam's third degree. But that was until she suddenly burst out laughing.

"Huh?"

"Oh Dunga, you're so gullible," Mariam laughed as she stepped out into a road, not noticing the car heading directly towards her.

"MARIAM!" Dunga grabbed the oblivious girl's arm and pulled her out of harms way as the car zoomed by, honking loudly. 

Nonetheless, he didn't realised how close he'd pulled her, as she was standing directly under him, both their arms clasped against each other tightly. They blushed in unison as they realised this and pulled apart hastily.

"Err…sorry," Dunga rubbed the back of his head and diverted his gaze elsewhere, before a soft texture brushed against his left cheek.

His eyes widened when he realised it had been none other than a kiss from Mariam and his cheeks tinged a slight crimson as he brought his fingers to where she'd kissed him.

"What was that for?" He found himself asking.

"Just a little token of gratitude," He saw an unfamiliar gleam in her eyes that was almost more than attractive to him.

As she made to step forward again, he felt a smirk spread across his features as he pulled her back again, this time facing her and planted a soft kiss against her lips.

When he pulled back, he didn't have time to register her reaction, as his eyes nervously diverted elsewhere again and he began walking in the direction of the warehouse, his hands sunk into his pocket. Another grin spread across his face.

Meanwhile, Mariam's expression illustrated that of shock mixed with intrigue. Ever since yesterday night, Dunga had been full of surprises, but this topped everything. _Who would have thought that the muscle-bound idiot was capable of feelings?_ She smiled, as she followed him towards the warehouse.

~*~

"Where could they be? We musta searched the entire area last night," Joseph wined as he leant up against a wall in defeat, a knee pulled up against his chest while the other laid out on the floor in front of him.

"Well, all we can hope is hope that Dunga went out looking for Mariam instead of sulking about their argument yesterday," Ozuma said solemnly. "The last thing we need is to have both of them lost."

Joseph nodded in agreement, while shifting his position.

Ozuma stared at the ground deep in thought. It didn't really add up when you thought about it. Mariam knew about the storm last night and so should have stayed put, but still she ran off, and even that's not really like her either. Then there's Dunga. _Hmmm_.

They had come to some very close calls in their search for Mariam last night, almost getting crushed by falling rubble or even electrocuted. What had she been thinking?

"Look who I found?"

Both pairs of emeralds glanced at the entrance to see none other than Dunga. Seconds later in walked a familiar sight.

"Sis!" Joseph jumped up and rushed over to his sibling in glee, while Ozuma rose to his feet and stared at her seriously.

"You do know that what you did last night was stupid and imprudent," He began, silence now filling through room. "Who knows what could have happened if Dunga hadn't found you."

Mariam stared at the floor before meeting her captain's stern gaze.

"I know! It was stupid and I was being selfish," She voiced. "I'm…I'm sorry, okay."

She turned her back on them, ignoring the shocked expression crossing her brother and her team captain's face.

"M…Mariam?" Joseph mustered to say. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seem a little…well…different,"

Dunga snorted.

"Well, this is _Mariam_ we're talking about?"

"Then maybe we should talk about you – Dunga, the infamous looser," Mariam countered.

"What!"

"Well, it's true. You'd most probably loose your head if it wasn't attached to you,"

Ozuma and Joseph rolled their eyes.

"And you know what Dunga?" Mariam added, sourly.

"WHAT!" The brawny Saint Shield snapped, clenching his fists together.

Mariam's faced relaxed into a smile.

"I can live with that," She replied, softly, as she turned gracefully on her heel and headed for the exit again.

Dunga stared after her in a slight shock before his expression relaxed also and he put down his fists, before deciding to follow her.

Meanwhile, Joseph and Ozuma were staring after the two in disbelief just as the shorter of the two dropped anime style.

"Did we miss something?" Joseph said, as he rose to his feet again to see their two obviously different companions exit the building.

"Who knows, Joseph, but I can say one thing," Ozuma said, smiling a little. "I dunno what happened out there, but I can guess that it's probably going to be much easier living with those two from now on."

The End 

**A/N: **So, whad'ya think? I hope I captured everyone personality right and that I didn't drag on too much. I have a tendency to do that  ^_^;

T'was my first one-shot Saint Shield romance as well. I think I did okay, but it's what you guys think that counts. 

(And yes, I know, it's Dunga I've written about, but he hardly gets any recognition on this site, so I thought, what the hey).

Thanks for reading, by the way.


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